Washington, DC — Nigeria has received increased attention by the U.S. media following the Christmas Day attempted terrorist attack. While it appears that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, played a significant role in Abdulmutallab's recruitment and radicalization, we should not dismiss the possibility that certain conditions in Nigeria played some role too, however small. I expect we will discuss this at today's hearing, as well as Nigeria's inclusion on the new TSA list of 14 countries from which travelers will receive additional security screening.
But today's hearing is about far more. The US-Nigeria relationship covers a wide range of important issues and strategic interests. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the eighth most populous in the world. It is home to Africa's largest Muslim population as well as an estimated 250 different ethnic groups. It is Africa's second largest economy and a major global supplier of oil. And as a current member of the UN Security Council, a major contributor to global peacekeeping and the host of ECOWAS headquarters, Nigeria has been a leader in regional and, increasingly, global affairs.
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